AN ELECTRIC WEEKEND OF STARPOWER: GOODELL, THE G.O.A.T. AND MCGREGOR
Photo of the night: Tom Brady's jaw drops as Conor McGregor delivers the kick that led to his 40-second win over "Cowboy" Cerrone. Via ESPN's Darren Revell. Photo: Steve Marcus/Getty Images
The last time a sports weekend had Las Vegas buzzing like this? Maybe 30 years ago, when UNLV stormed to the NCAA basketball championship with a 103-73 rout of Duke.
This all happened over the weekend on the Las Vegas Strip.
--NFL commissioner Roger Goodell charmed an audience of 1,600 at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday with his vision of what the future holds for the city the league once scorned.
--Tom Brady’s surprise appearance at UFC 246 -- and chat with Raiders’ owner Mark Davis -- triggered a tsunami of speculation.
--Conor McGregor’s 40-second knockout of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone reminded us what the UFC and McGregor’s starpower means to the city.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports editor Bill Bradley interviewed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at Wynn on Friday. Photo: Norm Clarke
It was the quinella of superbrands converging on one of the hottest destination brands in the world.
Here are some of the reactions:
-- Case Keefer of the Las Vegas Sun on Goodell’s address to the Vegas Chamber’s annual Preview: “Gone were the generalities that Goodell typically shared when talking about Las Vegas early in the process of the Raiders relocation. With the Raiders set to fully arrive next season and the NFL Draft headed to the area in April, Goodell upgraded to superlatives.”--Arash Markazi, Los Angeles Times columnist on what the $2 billion Allegiant Stadium means to Las Vegas: “While Las Vegas will have to wait at least five years to host its first Super Bowl, the city could host the Pro Bowl as early as next year. The league’s contract to host the game in Orlando is up after this month and Goodell said the league could bring the game to Las Vegas.”
--Goodell on the future possibilities: “This city knows how to put on big events, there’s no question about that. You have the infrastructure and it’s Super Bowl ready. You have Allegiant Stadium, which is going to be a world-class stadium that will be our stage ultimately. You have everything here.”
--Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Brady’s electrifying sighting at T-Mobile Arena: “UFC president Dana White believes there is a real possibility he will be watching his good friend Tom Brady taking snaps for the Las Vegas Raiders from White’s suite at Allegiant Stadium next season.” White added, “If that dude isn’t playing for Boston he’s playing here.” Twitter went wild.
Raiders owner Mark Davis taking in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s address to Vegas Chambers’ Preview event. Photo: Norm Clarke
Former Raiders running back Napoleon McCallum and Burlin Germany, Las Vegas-based Los Angeles Dodgers talent developmental coordinator. (Norm Clarke)
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis. Photo: Norm Clarke
--BleacherReport.com on Las Vegas hosting the Pro Bowl: “The the city would seem like a natural fit for this game.”
--Goodell, after noting that Super Bowls typically stimulate an economic impact of around $500 million, said the NFL draft generated $224 million in Nashville last year. “I believe Las Vegas is going to blow that up.
--Davis, speaking before Goodwell took the stage, said there are projections the NFL draft will bring 750,000 visitors to Las Vegas over four days. That would be an increase of 150,000 over the turnout for Nashville. There was projections that Las Vegas would host a record 318,000 for the most recent New Year’s weekend.
--Goodell on what sports betting means to the NFL: “We think that sports gambling in many ways creates more engagement for our fans. It gives them another apportunity to engage with the game. Fantasy football did that too. We think this is fantasy football on steroids. I’ts going to give people a chance to really participate in some fashion.”
--Goodell on Las Vegas’ ace in the hole: “This city knows how to put on big events, there’s no question about that.”